Biography:

Dr. Stephen Tripodi is an Associate Professor and Doctoral Program Director in the College of Social Work and a faculty director with the Institute for Justice Research and Development.  Dr. Tripodi’s research has focused on trauma histories for incarcerated women and its connection to mental health and substance use disorders, trauma-based interventions for incarcerated populations, and interventions for individuals who are formerly incarcerated. He teaches research methods and social work in criminal justice settings for undergraduate and graduate students.

AREAS OF FOCUS

• Incarcerated populations
• Interventions for justice-involved populations
• Corrections
• Trauma

EDUCATION

• PhD, 2007, The University of Texas, Social Work
• MSSW, 2000, The University of Texas, Social Work
• BA, 1997, Michigan State University, Psychology

SELECTED PEER REVIEW ARTICLES AND PUBLICATIONS

Tripodi, S. J., Mennicke, A. M., McCarter, S. A., & Ropes, K. (2019). Evaluating Seeking Safety for women in prison: An RCT. Research on Social Work Practice, 29, 281-290. doi:10.1177/1049731517706550

Tripodi, S. J., Pettus-Davis, C., Bender, K., Fitzgerald, M., Renn, T., & Kennedy, S. C. (2019). Pathways to recidivism for women released from prison: A mediated model of abuse, mental health issues, and substance use. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 46, 1219-1236.

Prost, S. G., Tripodi, S. J., & Lacasse, J. R. (2019). The quality of life perception gap in prison health care settings: Rater disparities among incarcerated patients and peer caregivers. Quality of Life Research, online, 1-18. doi:10.1007/s11482-019-09732-1

Pettus-Davis, C., Veeh, C., Davis, M., & Tripodi, S. J. (2018). Gender differences in experiences of social support among men and women releasing from prison. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 1161-1182. doi:10.1177/0265407517705492

Schelbe, L., Hardwick, A., Wilfong, A. N., Hanifin, C., Tripodi, S. J., & Pettus-Davis, C. (2018). Incarcerated women's experiences and perceptions of participating in research. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 62, 3797-3814.

Rakes, S., Prost, S. G., & Tripodi, S. J. (2018). Recidivism among older adults: Correlates of prison re-reentry. Justice Policy Journal, 15, 1-15.

Kennedy, S. C., Mennicke, A., Feely, M., & Tripodi, S. J. (2018). The relationship between interpersonal victimization and women's criminal sentencing: A latent class analysis. Women & Criminal Justice, 28, 212-232.

King, E. A., Tripodi, S. J., & Veeh, C. A. (2018). The relationship between severe mental disorders and recidivism in a sample of women released from prison. Psychiatric Quarterly, 89, 717-731. doi:10.1007/s11126-018-9572-9

Kennedy, S., Kim, J. S., Tripodi, S. J., Brown, S. M., & Gawdy, G. (2016). Does parent-child interaction therapy reduce future physical abuse?: A meta-analysis. Research on Social Work Practice, 1417-156. doi:10.1177/1049731514543024

Kennedy, S., & Tripodi, S. J. (2016). The death penalty attitudes of social work students: Current and future opportunities. Journal of Forensic Social Work, 201-233. doi:10.1080/1936928X.2015.1100570

Veeh, C., Tripodi, S. J., Pettus-Davis, C., & Scheyett, A. (2016). The interaction of serious mental disorder and race to time to reincarceration. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1-7. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ort0000183

Tripodi, S. J., & Pettus-Davis, C. (2013). Histories of childhood victimization and subsequent mental health problems, substance use, and sexual victimization for a sample of incarcerated women in the US. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 36, 30-40. doi:10.1016/j.ijlp.2012.11.005

 SELECTED GRANTS

2022-2024 Principal Investigator. Evaluating Trauma-Informed Care for Adults in Jail and Releasing from Jail. Seminole County Sheriff’s Office ($250,000). Co-PI: Dr. Tanya Renn. Co-I: Dr. Carrie Pettus.

2019 - 22   Co-Principal Investigator. Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of Comprehensive Trauma Informed Reentry Services for Moderate to High Risk Youth Releasing from State Prison. National Institute of Justice. ($1,197,172); Co-PIs: Dr. Carrie Pettus-Davis and Dr. Tanya Renn.   

2019 – 21    Co-Principal Investigator. Skills Training and Affective Regulation Intervention -- Pilot Trauma Treatment for Men and Women Releasing from Jail; Seminole County, Florida. Seminole County Jail. ($150,000). Co-PIs: Dr. Carrie Pettus-Davis and Dr. Tanya Renn.  

2018 – 26    Co-Principal Investigator. A Low-Cost Randomized Controlled Trial of Therapeutic Communities and Interactive Journaling Substance Use Disorder Treatments: Research on Reductions in Recidivism and Social Spending. Arnold Ventures ($480,624). Co-PI: Dr. Carrie Pettus-Davis. Co-I: Dr. Tanya Renn 

2018 – 26    Co-Investigator. Multistate Randomized Controlled Trial of the 5 Key Model for Reentry. Charles Koch Foundation ($7,500,000). PI: Dr. Carrie Pettus-Davis. Co-I: Dr. Tanya Renn.  

Tripodi, S. J. (Principal Investigator). Pilot Study of a Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Program for Incarcerated Women. Funded by Florida State University Council of Research and Creativity. Total award $13,000. 2014-2015.

Tripodi, S.J. (Principal Investigator).  Pathways to Recidivism among Women Prisoners with Histories of Victimization: Implications for Assessment, Transition Planning and Reentry. Advanced Center for Behavioral Health Services & Criminal Justice Research, National Institute of Mental Health Funded Project ($100,000). 2010-2012.